PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 225 



tail-coverts. The wings are brownish black, the long inner secondaries margined, 

 along their outer edges, with buffish white. The three outer tail feathers are white, 

 but the penultimate and antepenultimate feathers have a dark stripe along the 

 outer vane. The two middle feathers are brownish black, with a greenish line 

 along the outer vane. Length 7'25 in. [184 mm.]. The female is rather smaller 

 than the male, and has a tinge of green over the head and back, and never 

 develops a fully black throat, often none at all. The juvenile plumage resembles 

 that of the adults after the autumn moult ; but immature birds may always be 

 distinguished by the fact that the superciliary stripe, cheeks, throat, and pectoral 

 regions are tinged with fawn colour, [w. p. P.] 



2. Distribution. The hilly districts of Central and Southern Europe and 

 the British Isles, the Canaries and North-west Africa, while other forms are found 

 in Madeira and Asia. It is, however, absent from Denmark, Scandinavia, and 

 North Russia. In the British Isles it is generally distributed in small numbers 

 in all the hilly districts, but is rare or absent as a rule from the flat country south 

 of the Pennines, and east of the Cambrian and Devonian ranges. [F. c. R. J.] 



3. Migration. The resident birds leave the higher grounds towards winter, 

 and the species is then found in parts of the south of England, where it does not 

 nest, arriving there early in September, and returning to more northerly counties 

 at the end of March or the beginning of April. It is also in small numbers an 

 autumn immigrant to the east coast of Great Britain, presumably from mid- 

 Europe or farther south. The chief influx of young birds is in September, that 

 of old birds in October, with a return emigration in March (cf. Nelson, B. of 

 Yorks., 1907, p. 126). There is no evidence of overseas migration to or from our 

 south coasts. On the east coast it arrives during the night, and apparently 

 proceeds inland before daybreak as a rule (cf. loc. cit.). [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Nesting place : in a hole of a wall, steep bank, or ledge 

 of rock close to rapid streams as a rule. Nest : moss, twigs, leaves, and grasses, 

 lined with hair, frequently white. (PI. x.) What share is taken by the cock 

 in building is uncertain. Eggs 4 to 6, buff or stone colour, faintly marbled 

 with pale brown and often with a blackish hair-line. Some varieties resemble 

 those of the yellow- wagtail, while others tend to approach those of the pied- : 

 white and pinkish eggs have also been recorded. (PI. B.) Average size 

 of 100 eggs, -74 x -56 in. [18-81 x 14-27 mm.]. The usual breeding time is 

 the latter part of April, and though many birds are single brooded, a second 

 brood may sometimes be found early in June. Incubation lasts about 14 days, 



